BHS dropout rate continues to drop

Friday

There is some good news on the education front. According to Barnstable High School principal Pat Graves, the number of students dropping out of BHS is dropping.

Principal praises staff efforts

There is some good news on the education front. According to Barnstable High School principal Pat Graves, the number of students dropping out of BHS is dropping. Graves said that the projected percentage of students dropping out during the 2008-2009 school year is approximately 2.5 percent, down 3.1 percent from the 2007-2008 school year. Graves attributes the positive change to various programs at the high school aimed at encouraging students to stay in school, and to the educators staffing those programs. “We made this very much a focus of our school improvement plan several years ago,” said Graves. “I like the numbers because these are real kids, not just percentage points.” Graves feels that the key to the lowering of the dropout rate has been in the high school’s implementing and maintaining programs that support students in their efforts to stay in school. Such programs include Project Excel, Think Again, and the school’s eLearning initiative, in which students complete course work online. Barnstable High School also offers Career Academies, which allow students to test drive a potential career, as well as opportunities in the Child Development program and the school’s Certified Nurse’s Aide program. Higher-level ability classes and strong music and athletic programs also serve to attract a greater diversity of students, while a one-to-one mentoring program between staff and students is also proving beneficial. Graves said that the school has seen improved MCAS scores in all subgroups. “Once a student realized they’ve passed the test and are eligible for a diploma, that’s very motivating,” she said. The school also requires students to fulfill a Community Service requirement, something Graves appreciates for helping students become integral members of their community. “It allows them to get out and not only to give of themselves in their community, but also to place themselves in professional settings,” Graves said. Graves gives high marks to all those involved in the various programs, from the school’s guidance counselors to those offering instruction and support. “Our guidance counselors really do a great job of writing up what I call snapshots of dropouts,” Graves said, noting that the information the counselors gather helps teachers and administrators to learn why students make what Graves calls a “tragic” decision. “When I meet with a student I say to them, ‘it will alter your life in ways you probably can’t imagine right now,’” Graves said. “It’s not just income. It’s about happiness. It’s about health. It’s about stability.” Numerous studies have shown that high school dropouts earn significantly less than those who earned a diploma. Dropouts also tend to struggle more with health issues and depression. “Not to say that there aren’t some people who haven’t dropped out and been successful, but that was in a different generation,” Graves said. Graves feels especially thankful that the success of many of the programs created to help keep kids in school has helped the district continue to secure funding through grants. “One thing that we’ve tried to do is tried to ensure some sustainability,” Graves said. “Successful programs tend to attract ongoing grant money. We have been very lucky that with our success record we have been able to continue to fund these programs.” At the heart of solving the dropout problem, and a key factor in the success of each of the school’s programs, is the staff at the helm. “Any of the programs that we design, it is so crucial that we get the right people involved in them. It’s about the skills, but it’s also about the relationship,” said Graves. “Every student should feel a real connectedness to not just the program, but to people in the building as well.” Graves stresses that it is the devotion of those operating the programs that makes them so successful. “Without really good people staffing these programs, they could be empty shells,” said Graves. “It’s the compassion and dedication of the people involved whose mindset is, ‘I won’t give up on you.’ That really is the mantra.”

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